Shopping Guide: Shower Systems

How to get your custom dream spa to your specs, price-range, and time frame

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Individual style is all the rage. Kitchens, suits, even the fit of our jeans—we want everything to tailored to a T. So it's only natural to want customized bath experiences too. Major plumbing manufacturers have embraced this trend and have created a vast assortment of components—everything from oversize rain showerheads to pulsating body spays. Here's how to find the perfect system for you.

Start Simple

For a custom shower without a messy remodel, consider a shower tower. These all-in-one units with multiple showerheads, handheld sprays, and body sprays in a single vertical box mount to the wall of your existing shower. It's a concept that started in Europe, where differences in home construction usually require plumbing to be installed outside rather than inside the wall, says American Standard's design director Gray Uhl. The only drawback to this type of system is space. "Towers stick out several inches from the wall," says Brian Barnett, Kohler's performance showering product manager. "Systems with individual components embedded in the wall offer a cleaner look and also more product flexibility."

Pick Your Pieces

For those planning a remodel, a sharper, completely custom system, with individual body sprays, a hand shower, and a rain or standard showerhead, is the leading choice. Start with the showerhead. Options include a unit fixed to the wall and angled to spray down, or a ceiling-mounted head (or rain shower) to provide a steady sprinkling of water. Next, add a hand shower. "It's a must," says Barnett. "It allows you to easily rinse your hair, and it makes it easier to clean the shower."

Body sprays can transform a shower experience from ordinary to spectacular. The point of body sprays is to provide a "whole-body drenching," says Uhl. They can be added individually or in pairs up to the maximum flow rate of the valve at the given water pressure. "Exceeding the capacity of the valve will lower the overall performance of the system," he says.

To determine if all those showerheads and body sprays will tax your system, add up the flow rates for each component and compare the total to the flow rate for the valve the sprays will be connected to. If needed, a plumber can help increase capacity.

Control valves govern both flow and temperature. Pressure-balancing valves automatically adjust the mix of hot and cold water to maintain a comfortable temperature even if water pressure changes due to, say, a toilet flush. Thermostatic valves perform the same task in response to shifts in hot and cold water temperatures.

For the ultimate shower experience, consider adding steam, light, and music to your system. Like valves and body sprays, these components have to be purchased separately and then worked into the shower's configuration. All these amenities can make the installation more complicated. To simplify matters, Kohler has linked them into a single digital control called DTV II. This small panel mounts inside or outside the shower and controls the whole system—water, sound, light, and steam—via a touch screen.

Configure It Out

You also need to consider how all the individual components will work together. Once again, start at the top. With the exception of ceiling-mounted rain units, the showerhead should be set at a level above the tallest user. The reason is simple: The tallest users should not have to duck to rinse their hair, says Barnett. Heads mounted on slide bars or on adjustable arms can be used to make a shower conform to users of varying height.

Next, think about body spray placement. The top-level spray should be set at shoulder or back height. If there's a chance that the spray could send a stream of water into the face of a smaller user, it should have its own control valve so there's an option to leave it off, says Uhl. Mid-level sprays fall at waist or hip height. The lowest sprays should aim at thighs or knees.

Common Concerns

"These systems, even preplanned designs, move a lot of water at high volume," says Barnett. "You need to make sure your current plumbing setup can handle the flow." Whether plans call for an all-in-one unit or a custom creation with dual showerheads and eight body sprays on two walls, consult a plumber or contractor on the following points before placing your order:

Volume: A standard showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute (GPM) or less. A custom system with multiple heads and sprays can use 15 GPM or more. "It's not just the volume," says Barnett. "It's also the size of your pipes—standard half-inch or newer three-quarter-inch. Three-quarter-inch lines can move more water."

Pressure: Standard showerheads are designed for 30 pounds per square inch (psi) of water pressure. Most custom systems require more than that. Grohe, for example, recommends 50 psi for a system with three or more outlets. If your pressure falls short, you may need a water booster pump for optimum shower performance.

Temperature: The bigger the system, the more hot water you'll need. A 50-gallon gas water heater will supply a four-outlet shower for about eight minutes. For many people, that's not nearly long enough, says Uhl, who suggests asking a plumber about adding a larger unit or even a tankless water heater. Here's a good rule of thumb: If two people cannot shower simultaneously, you need to upgrade.

Drainage: Drain capacity is critical, says Barnett. High-flow shower systems can put out up to 180 gallons of water in five minutes, and all that water needs a place to exit. A standard single-head system requires a 2-inch drain. Complex multihead systems can require two 2-inch drains or one 3-inch drain, says Uhl.

Money Matters

Whether you select an all-in-one system or elect to create your own, you will find that prices begin at around $500 for two valves and a showerhead, and top out at around $5,000 for a custom system for two complete with ceiling-mounted rain shower, two handheld showers, 10 body sprays, and all the necessary valves and controls. Below is a quick overview of what you can expect to find at three price points:

Good: $500 to $1,500
Easy does it in this category. Look for prepackaged systems that connect to your shower's existing water line or scaled-back systems that require only minor replumbing by keeping body sprays to a maximum of two. At the upper end of this price range, look for more body sprays and added versatility through the introduction of adjustable shower bars and hand showers.

Better: $1,500 to $2,500
If you're looking to step up spray power, this is where you should start looking. With tower systems, expect more advanced systems that feature multiple body sprays, an adjustable showerhead, and a hand shower with features like rain, massage, and jet sprays. Component systems yield similar features, but you can install the individual heads and sprays wherever you like. Also, expect more choices in the look and finish of individual components. It's not uncommon to find preconfigured packages with two handhelds, six body sprays, and one generously proportioned showerhead. All components in this category should feature adjustable spray settings for a truly custom experience.

Best: $2,500 and up
The sky is the limit in this category. As long as your home is equipped to handle the increased volume and water pressure these systems require, they will deliver an experience akin to a trip to a spa—especially if you opt for extras like digital interfaces, steam, chromatherapy, and stereo sound.